The Banksia Pod

It’s the stuff of media advisor nightmares… You receive a call from the producer of a renowned investigative journalism team requesting an interview with the CEO. Enter the double-edged sword. Perform well, and this is a golden opportunity to provide context and information to your stakeholders. Perform poorly and it’s a PR disaster in waiting.

The recent Four Corners episode exploring Australia’s supermarket duopoly provided us with such a case study.

Coles CEO, Leah Weckert was calm and collected, answering the queries she was aware of, and taking new information on notice. Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci was not – and it culminated in his resignation in the same week.

On this episode of What’s At Stake? The team at Banksia Strategic Partners breakdown the ‘xs & os’ of media interviews as well as their opportunities, risks, and possible outcomes.

Guests:

James Fitzpatrick, Director
Matilda Finn, Communications Associate

On this episode of Banksia Explains, we are exploring the potential of renewable gas in Australia’s decarbonisation journey.

What role could renewable gases like biomethane play in the transition? What kind of misconceptions are there around renewable gas and how can we change the narrative?

Acting Associate, Matilda Finn and Senior Associate, James Fitzpatrick are joined by special guest, Mike Davis, the Managing Director of Optimal Renewable Gas.

Mike has over 15 years of experience in the energy sector and has held several senior technical and commercial roles with APA, ATCO Australia and Jemena where he was responsible for developing and commercialising underground gas storage, gas transmission and expansion, gas-fired power generation, green hydrogen production and blending into the gas grid.

Guest: Mike Davis, Managing Director @ ⁠Optimal Renewable Gas

Treasurer Jim Chalmers unveiled a federal budget that he says strikes a “considered and methodical balance” between tackling inflation and supporting struggling Australians.

In so doing, Federal Labor have kicked-off what you might dub “Budget Season” across the nation. And while the federal budget forecasted a modest surplus for the first time in 15 years, the state and territory budgets are likely to be less generous. Across Australia, the decisions that governments make in their budgets clearly signpost each administration’s appetite for different projects.

On this episode of Banksia Explains… Communications Specialist Gordon Hunter Meredith is joined by Acting Associate Matilda Finn and Founder and Director of Banksia, Steve Michelson to explore the key takeaways from the federal budget and how organisations should approach budget submissions for the upcoming financial year.

On March 25th, NSW voters faced a choice between reinstating the incumbent coalition government, promising to keep their state moving, for a fourth term, or commencing a fresh start with a new look Labor team eager to end their 12-year stint on opposition benches.

An election that was predicted to be the tightest in over a decade, was instead called a Labor victory just hours after polls closed, registering another resounding defeat for the Liberal-National Coalition.

While no “Teal Wave” or “Greens Slide” eventuated, the result in NSW reflects the trend seen federally, with Minns’ Labor to form a minority government with an extended crossbench. And in turn, for the first time in 15 years, Labor will hold power in all states and territories on mainland Australia.

Today on Banksia Explains, we are joined by Associate Jeremy Phillip-Yelland and Communications Specialist Matilda Finn to analyse what this state election result means for NSW and Australia.

We also explore what we expect the next four years under Premier Minns’ will look like and how your organisation can capitalise on the fresh opportunities that a new government brings.

What will Australia’s renewable energy transition involve? How will we get there? Who will it affect? How do we ensure industries and workers are not left behind? Who’s leading the charge in Australia? And the billion-dollar question, who’s footing the bill?

On this episode of Banksia Explains… we are discussing Australia’s transition to renewable energy and to do so, we are joined by Patricia Boyce, the founder of Seed Advisory and board member for the Centre for New Energy Technologies.

This episode was made in partnership with the Energy Leadership Summit and Expo.

Politicians, business owners, media professionals and sporting organisations. According to social scientists Karen Cerulo of Rutgers University and Janet Ruane of Montclair State University , who published the preeminent study of public apologies, “Apologies of the Rich and Famous”, these are the four professions who are most likely to have to offer public apologies. And so, chances are if you’re listening to this podcast at some stage in 2023, you will need to advise on, draft or offer a public apology.

On this episode of Banksia Explains… we explore the good, bad and avoidant of public apologies.
Host: Gordon Hunter Meredith
Panel: Elyse Gatt, Senior Associate, Banksia Strategic Partners & James Fitzpatrick, Senior Associate, Banksia Strategic Partners.

Since the restart of the international sporting calendar, spectators’ appetites for global sporting events have only been matched by countries’ and companies’ desires for soft power gains.

The term “sportswashing” may have been coined in 2018, but the practice of hosting or sponsoring sporting events for political gain has been around since the advent of sport itself.

While the Beijing Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar headlined 2022’s most controversial sportwashing accusations, back home in Australia, many of our national sporting codes also faced their own crises.

In this episode of Banksia Explains, we explore the notion of sportswashing and how it affects all of sports’ stakeholders.

Guest: Dr Sam Duncan, Adjunct Research Fellow for the Sport Innovation Research Group at Swinburne University of Technology.